Patient education: effects of two teaching methods upon parental retention of infant feeding practices

The purpose of this study was to test a strategy for improving patient's retention of discharge teaching.

A pretest-posttest experimental design was used. Forty postpartum women were randomly assigned to a group. All subjects received infant feeding instruction until they reached criterion on the Infant Feeding Questionnaire. The experimental group received additional instruction on the same material (overlearning). The two groups were compared 2 weeks later on the same questionnaire. Mean scores were compared by a t-test, demographic variables were correlated to outcomes, and effect of race or culture was analyzed by ANOVA.

The pretest showed no significant difference between the groups. Posttest scores were significantly higher for the experimental group. The mother's education was the only demographic variable that was correlated to the results.

Mothers who receive overlearning beyond the mastery level retain significantly more of the material.